Where Does the Time Go?
When I say "Where does the time go?" I'm not talking about my children growing up too fast. It is true - a month passes and it feels like only a day or two - but I am literally asking... WHERE does the time go?
I realized tonight, as it took me nearly 40 minutes to get ready to go for a quick jog, just how long it takes to do anything any more. How much preparation is involved in even the simplest activity. Think I'm kidding? Here's a real-life example of a trip to the pool this summer:
- get Colin changed into swimsuit and shirt: 10 minutes
- get me changed into swimsuit: 3 minutes
- apply sunscreen to Colin and me: 10 minutes
- load towels, toys, floaties, swim passes, and cell phone into bag: 10 minutes
- feed baby: 25 minutes
- change baby's diaper: 2 minutes
- change baby into clean clothes 3-4 times because he keeps spitting up all over himself: 15 minutes
- load baby into stroller and catch Colin to put on his shoes: 5 minutes
- walk to pool: 15 minutes (this could take about 90 seconds, but with a 2-year-old who has to inspect every ant, pine cone, and speck of dust it is an adventure walk that cannot be rushed)
- sign in, arrange baby in shade: 5 minutes
- remove shoes, put on Colin's floaties: 5 minutes
- SWIM: 3 minutes (at this time baby Ryan began sobbing hysterically and we had to get out of the pool and leave)
- walk home: 5 minutes (faster because now Colin is also sobbing and had to be carried)
Total elapsed time: 1 hour, 43 minutes
Total time spent swimming: 3 minutes
All I can say is that it is no wonder why so many women fail to regain their fitness after having children. I have fallen off the workout wagon myself, and am seeing the ill effects both physically and mentally. I truly love to work out, and still have difficulty making it a consistent part of my day any more. How much harder would it be for someone who doesn't like working out? Or has never made it a consistent part of their pre-kids lifestyle? I can only imagine!
I've come to realize that if I want to be able to work out regularly my only real option is to get up earlier and start working out in the mornings. But I'm only getting 5-6 hours of sleep a night now so I think shaving my sleep down by another hour might be a bad decision! Something is going to have to give because I can't keep going the way I am, but until then I will continue to wonder, as I muddle through my days... where the heck does the time go?!?
I realized tonight, as it took me nearly 40 minutes to get ready to go for a quick jog, just how long it takes to do anything any more. How much preparation is involved in even the simplest activity. Think I'm kidding? Here's a real-life example of a trip to the pool this summer:
- get Colin changed into swimsuit and shirt: 10 minutes
- get me changed into swimsuit: 3 minutes
- apply sunscreen to Colin and me: 10 minutes
- load towels, toys, floaties, swim passes, and cell phone into bag: 10 minutes
- feed baby: 25 minutes
- change baby's diaper: 2 minutes
- change baby into clean clothes 3-4 times because he keeps spitting up all over himself: 15 minutes
- load baby into stroller and catch Colin to put on his shoes: 5 minutes
- walk to pool: 15 minutes (this could take about 90 seconds, but with a 2-year-old who has to inspect every ant, pine cone, and speck of dust it is an adventure walk that cannot be rushed)
- sign in, arrange baby in shade: 5 minutes
- remove shoes, put on Colin's floaties: 5 minutes
- SWIM: 3 minutes (at this time baby Ryan began sobbing hysterically and we had to get out of the pool and leave)
- walk home: 5 minutes (faster because now Colin is also sobbing and had to be carried)
Total elapsed time: 1 hour, 43 minutes
Total time spent swimming: 3 minutes
All I can say is that it is no wonder why so many women fail to regain their fitness after having children. I have fallen off the workout wagon myself, and am seeing the ill effects both physically and mentally. I truly love to work out, and still have difficulty making it a consistent part of my day any more. How much harder would it be for someone who doesn't like working out? Or has never made it a consistent part of their pre-kids lifestyle? I can only imagine!
I've come to realize that if I want to be able to work out regularly my only real option is to get up earlier and start working out in the mornings. But I'm only getting 5-6 hours of sleep a night now so I think shaving my sleep down by another hour might be a bad decision! Something is going to have to give because I can't keep going the way I am, but until then I will continue to wonder, as I muddle through my days... where the heck does the time go?!?
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